


With the Grace of a Child

by Estirose



Category: Monster High
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-11
Updated: 2011-12-11
Packaged: 2017-10-27 05:31:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/292128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Estirose/pseuds/Estirose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Abbey will always be proper.</p>
            </blockquote>





	With the Grace of a Child

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Paranoiac](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paranoiac/gifts).



Abbey was frowning as she gazed at the other girl, who was quietly reconnecting her leg after it had fallen off. Frankie was cheerful, friendly... and utterly oblivious, which was to be expected, given that she was less than a year old. But Abbey had gotten used to that. It didn't make figuring out how to court her any easier.

In her home in the mountains, Abbey would have involved her parents. Girls courting girls was almost unheard of, but Abbey wasn't an only child and she was sure her parents would have been willing to help more if she'd been at home. It was up to them normally to contact the other person's family, negotiate any arrangements, and set up the wedding. Abbey had sent a message to her family, declaring her intentions, and her parents had given her permission, but they'd been helpless for giving her advice as Frankie wasn't one of their own. Who knew what traditions Frankie's family had, or if they'd dismiss Mountain traditions as old-fashioned and outdated?

"Hey, Abbey! Um, is everything okay?" Frankie asked. She'd been surprisingly good at detecting Abbey's moods over the past year or so, being able to read beyond Abbey's facade. Which was part of the reason that Abbey was interested in her. Most of the students at Monster High didn't bother, Frankie did, trying to understand Abbey in her own way. And while Abbey wasn't much for most students' incoherent babbling, she was willing to putting up with it in Frankie. In a way, Frankie's was charming, if only because she had a sense for when to shut up. And maybe Abbey had developed an immunity to Frankie's babbly periods. Frankie was a good friend, Abbey's best friend, but Abbey wanted to go farther. She wanted to spend her life with the girl who could understand her best.

"I am all right," Abbey told her. Unlike the other students in the place, Abbey would take her courtship one step at a time. Her parents had told her what she needed to do for it to all be proper under Mountain tradition, and Abbey wouldn't violate their trust.

Of course, some things needed to change, but the steps wouldn't. Normally, a couple would start with sharing a cold drink, but Frankie didn't like cold drinks. Abbey wasn't sure whether to change that to a hot drink or to get Frankie used to cold drinks. Certainly, being able to drink a cold drink would endear Frankie to her future relatives. And Frankie was the kind of person who wanted to learn.

"You sure?" Frankie asked, brows raising. Yes, Frankie was good at reading her.

"I am considering some advice from my parents." That was the truth, and it was succinct.

"Oooh! Advice. Is it good?" Frankie wanted to know.

"I consider their advice to be very good." If she had problems implementing it, that wasn't their problem.

"Well, as long as it is!" Frankie proclaimed. She didn't precisely skip off, but she might as well have. Frankie wasn't the only one good at reading moods.

But that still left Abbey with the question on how to court her. Perhaps a drink at the cafeteria would be best. If Frankie turned out to be not interested, then that would be the end of the matter. There would be no way that Abbey's parents would let Abbey court girl who didn't want to be courted.

And if she was interested? Then Abbey wasn't sure what she'd do, other than what her parents had told her: gage interest, spend long times with her – under supervision, of course, nothing else would be proper – and finally ask her. It was acceptable to recite poetry or sing songs, but Abbey was no singer or poet.

First things first, she reminded herself. Cold drink before anything else. Reindeer before sleigh.

"I brought you drink," she said, before Frankie could say anything. "Is special."

How special it was, and yet she didn't know how much Frankie would read into it and if the other girl knew what was going on.

"Well, I kind of have a hard time drinking something like this, but I know you wouldn't do this if it didn't mean something to you!" Frankie declared, picking up the glass to take a sip. She'd grown some since Abbey first met her, too, learning how to accept others' customs. "Mmm... this is great, Abbey!"

There might have been a slight hesitation on Frankie's end, and the words might have been mere politeness, but Abbey hoped that her choice of Frankie's favorite cola made things work.

"We are friends, are we not?" Abbey reminded her. "Many friendships and more are started over drinks, in the Mountains." She hoped that Frankie picked up the implications.

"Oh, wow! I didn't know that, but it makes sense." Frankie smiled at her, and she wondered how it would be to kiss that smile. She thought about how it would be to sit outside and watch the icebergs with Frankie, one's head on the other's shoulder.

"I wish to share many more drinks with you." That was traditional, though Frankie wouldn't know that, either.

"I want that too!" Frankie exclaimed. "I mean, as you said, we're friends. Of course I want to share in your traditions... at least try, anyway."

Abbey inwardly sighed. She'd hoped Frankie would realize things... of course, the other girl might be playing coy, as it might not be socially acceptable to agree to a courtship in public. At least her people took thing slowly, so there was plenty of time to figure it out. Not like the dating that went on, where a relationship might be over before the other person realized what was going on.

But nothing was allowed to be private in a proper courtship; privacy led to the relationship going unwisely, at least that's what tradition said. Abbey's courtship was going to be proper.

"Perhaps you would like to go with me to the mall?" That would be public, and proper, and still allow the two of them to talk.

"Of course! Anything you want." Frankie loved being at the mall, Abbey knew, and it was the best way to discuss certain things. "We can go on the weekend."

The weekend, the best time, Abbey knew. Part of her wanted to talk about it right that moment... but no, she was being affected by this place. That was too fast. There were many times after for sharing of drinks and singing of songs, and making sure that they were right for each other before anything happened.

There was only one person she could ask to make sure everything was done according to custom. The person who she lived with, the only adult present currently in her life.

The headmistress.

But that, that could be done in private, away from others. Only actual courtship had to be in public. Plus, it involved an adult in ways adults should be involved. In watching over the courtship, in making sure it was done right.

Abbey desperately wanted it done right so that when Frankie accepted, there would be no question that it was a proper courtship.

So, when she went home that day, arms full of books and mind on things other than her homework and absentmindedly dropped her books on the table, her guardian raised her eyebrows.

"There are things bothering you," she said simply.

"I want to get courtship right," Abbey said. "I am courting other girl, my parents have given permission." She didn't think that her guardian would have an issue if her parents didn't. After all, the headmistress was very much into making sure everybody had an open mind.

The headmistress sighed, pulling her head off in order to redo her blush. "Relationships are never easy, Abbey. I'm sure your parents know you'll do it properly, and if the girl isn't interested that you'll respect that."

"I will." Abbey confirmed. "I will get courtship right."

"So, who are you courting, so I know?" her guardian asked. It was a right and good question.

"Frankie Stein. I do not know if she likes girls, so I am going extra slowly, finding way to ask question."

"Frankie. Hmmm." The headmistress looked thoughtful. "She sometimes doesn't think of the implication of things. But I trust you will not do anything that she wouldn't agree to."

"I promise. I'll be going out to mall with her this weekend. Surely we will find time to talk on the matter before I go further."

Her guardian nodded. "Just don't forget, Frankie has other friends as well."

Oh, yes. Abbey had forgotten about that. She'd have to find some place public, yet apart. At least until Frankie had agreed to the courtship. Her friends were open-minded, if sometimes yappy, and she was sure that they would approve as well. "I will be careful."

The headmistress smiled.

***

Abbey had to admit that she was nervous. She sipped carefully at her drink as she waited for Frankie to arrive, enjoying the cold, refreshing taste that helped cool her down. Finally, the girl arrived, with her posse of friends, but was shortly heading Abbey's way.

Abbey could only hope she did things right. It had taken Frankie a while to cool down to Abbey's level.

"Oh, hi, Abbey!" she exclaimed. "I'm here!"

Almost shaking her head, Abbey inwardly sighed. "Thank you for coming. I bought you drink." She looked at the frozen drink, hoping she'd made it like Frankie liked it. Not too frozen, not too liquid.

"Thanks!" The girl's face lit up with a thousand-watt smile, and electricity sparked around her bolts, though thankfully she avoided electrocuting anyone. "So, what do you wanna do? Shop for clothes? Makeup? Something else?"

"I would prefer to sit and talk," Abbey confessed. She just didn't see herself doing any of the above, though she was willing to let Frankie drag her around if she felt the need to.

"But we can do that in school!" Frankie made a face for a second. "On the other hand, you don't make small talk, so what's up? Something I can help with?"

"I am hoping so," Abbey said. "Sit. Drink. There is something I have to ask you." If Frankie wasn't interested.

"Are you going to try out for the talent show? Because I'm sure you'd be a great singer and everything...."

Honestly, Abbey had almost forgotten that it was happening. It seemed like a waste of time. "I am not good singer."

"I'm sure you would! Let me hear you sing."

Abbey thought about it for a second. Certainly her singing was like the bleat of a goat, but maybe it would help her win over Frankie. "Very well. I sing old courting song."

"Really?" Frankie's face brightened and Abbey had to wonder if she had figured it out.

"Yes." She thought of a song, and hoped against hope it would work. She figured that Frankie wouldn't understand the words, but she sang them anyway, softly and slowly, of cozy caves and frost and hunting on the ice for one's love.

"I don't understand a word of it, but it's beautiful. You should totally sing that in the talent show!" Frankie took a sip of her drink.

"Perhaps another song. That one is only for you."

"Oh, that's nice!" The implications seemed to fly right over Frankie's head. "You don't talk about your home much any more."

After a moment, she realized she didn't. Small talk was irritating, but if she did court Frankie, she did want Frankie to know. It was necessary knowledge. "I will talk more of it, then. Later."

"So, what did you want to talk about, then?" Frankie folded her arms. "If it's not the talent show, what is it?"

Abbey looked around, but nobody seemed to be paying attention, and she'd chosen a table far enough out that nobody seemed to want to.

"I wish to court you," Abbey said, taking a deep breath. "I hope you will not mind. I know you are not currently dating anyone...."

Frankie blinked. "You want to...." It seemed to take a moment to rattle around her head. "I guess I'd never thought that you could date a girl. Everybody seems to date guys."

"This would not be dates. This would be courtship. Many days of songs and drinks and discussing things so that we know that we are doing right thing. Also, making sure parents approve."

"Oh, you mean slow dating!" Frankie's face was lighting up again. "I can do that."

Abbey let the breath out. "It is called courting," she said. "Will tell you more of it, if you're willing."

"Abbey... of course I'm willing. I just never thought of things that way! I can't wait to tell the others!"

"Sip drink. Enjoy. We can tell them later." Much later. When Frankie had time to reflect and make sure that it was what she wanted. "There is time to, as my people say, watch sunset on iceberg."

"Whatever that means." Frankie reached out and took Abbey's hand. "You mean a lot to me, so let's do what we need to do."

Slowly, as slow as the courtship ahead, Abbey smiled.


End file.
